Sunday, October 23, 2016

When The School Nurse Calls






My husband and I had just returned from lunch. He has two weeks of leave, and it might be the only leave he gets for a long time since he's a MTI now. So we've been taking advantage of it, going on lunch dates and exploring Texas. And by exploring Texas, I basically mean going shopping. And eating.

As soon as we parked in the driveway, my phone rang. I answered and was told it was the school nurse. My heart plummeted because the last time the nurse called, Natalie had lice. I immediately thought, "Oh no, not again" because when Natalie had lice, it was an all day event of scrubbing her hair. Then Tommy freaked out because he doesn't like germs, and was panicked that he'd get lice. (He didn't, thank goodness.)

The nurse said, "I have Natalie in the office complaining of a stomach ache. She doesn't have a fever but she's gripping her stomach."

I chewed on my lower lip. Maybe I was immediately supposed to go, "My poor baby! I'll be right there." But my daughter is 9. She's nearing the age where she'll see what she can get away with. So I hesitated because responding. Eventually I said, "Do you think I should get her?"

I went through all the possibilities. Maybe she wanted to come home because of a test. Maybe someone was being mean and she didn't want to deal with the bully. Girls can be mean. Or maybe it was because of a boy she liked who didn't like her back. Maybe he was being mean.



"Well," the nurse said kindly. "She's not a kid who is in here on a weekly basis like some others. So I believe her. But if you want me to send her back to class, I will."

I thought it over. What if Natalie DID have a stomachache and needed her mother? What if she had to go back to class thinking I didn't care? One of the reasons why my husband and I decided that I should stay at home was to always be here for these kids. If I ignored Natalie's stomachache, what message would I be sending?

Parenting is hard.



"I'll get her," I finally said. I thought of my little girl frightened in the office, gripping her stomach. Wanting her Mommy. I'm lucky enough to be able to get her anytime during the day.

"Okay. See you soon," the nurse said.

I drove to Natalie's school and found her in the office. She looked tiny on the chair. Her arms were encircling her waist. She glanced up and a tiny smile played on her lips, "Mommy," she whispered.

My heart melted. I had made the right choice. Unless she was a really good actress. Still, after I signed her out, as we walked to the car I asked, "You didn't want to come home because someone was being mean, right? You can tell me."

Natalie shook her head. "No. My stomach has been hurting all day. I could eat my lunch but then it really started hurting. The teacher told me to try and use the bathroom. I did and it still hurt." She shrugged. "I'm missing art. I love art and we can only go every two weeks now. My friend says it's because of something called cutbacks."

We got home and she went right to bed. I reminded her that she would not be playing with friends if they came to the door after school. My rule is if you stay home sick, you can't play. She understood. She slept for two hours and when she woke up she said she was feeling better.



She was able to go to school the next day. Maybe it was a quick stomach bug. Maybe her body was fighting something. Maybe it was growing pains.



But I'm just glad I was able to be there.


Would you pick your kids up if the nurse called but there was no fever or injury?

70 comments:

  1. I always pick mine up. I know I wouldn't want to be at work if I felt bad and school is like work to them.

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  2. Yes, I would pick mine up. If they don't feel good at school, they won't be able to learn anything.

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  3. Oh gosh! It could have been anything. When you said tummy, I immediately thought appendix. Those are scary!!
    Hope she's much better now.

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  4. I love your posts because they remind me of when I was little and make me appreciate what my parents had to go through raising us! I can only imagine how hard parenting must be! I can't even keep my cat off the table!
    Kyla
    wanderlustkyla.com

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  5. I love the rule, no school, no play. I did the same thing, only I also added TV. No school, no TV. My kids could read or play a quiet game but no TV. With rules like that, it is easy to make the choice to pick them up. Not many kids play sick if they get less at home than they would to be in school all day.
    Melynda
    http://momssundaycafe.blogspot.com/

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  6. I don't have children but I would defiantly pick them up for that reason

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  7. This rule is great! No school, No gadgets. low grades, no grades. And its effective, They are afraid then. lol!

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  8. I always let the nurse judge. Typically I have then rest in her office for about thirty minutes to see if it passes. We don't really have many stomach issues but my son is an insomniac and sometimes will fall asleep at school after a night up. Breaks my heart every time I get a call.

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  9. It didn't happen very often, so when it did, I always picked them up. I've never regretted it!

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  10. My boys love school and hate being sick so yes. the youngest has a sore throat from allergies and he still wanted to go to school.

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  11. For me my mum is a nurse so if the school nurse called her she used to just take us to the hospital with her if she was working or home and no playing since we were sick

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  12. My older one loves school but my younger one not that much. And yes, I have been though a situation when the school nurse calls. Being sick sucks - kid or not.

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  13. Glad she is better and great rule! I grew up with that rule so I was definitely sick when I was sick.

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  14. I would have done exactly what you did! Sometimes you just have to listen to your gut as a parent.

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  15. I would have done the same. Otherwise, I'll be worried sick.

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  16. I am glad she recovered! My parents always picked me up when a call came through. I don't have kids yet, but I would as well.

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  17. I have usually weighed the pickup as well. One time there was an hour left of school. Friends coming over would be a no but so would zoning out in front of he television.

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  18. Sick kids are the worst! I am with you though, being a stickler about being sick from school. I think it's always best to trust our motherhood intuition, which is what you did! Happy to hear she recovered. :)

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  19. Aww she sounds like a great kiddos (I'm missing art) I'm glad she's feeling better. She will always cherish these moments that you were there for her :)

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  20. Aww she sounds like a great kiddos (I'm missing art) I'm glad she's feeling better. She will always cherish these moments that you were there for her :)

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  21. This is so cute!
    I'm really glad you went in for her, and I would most definitely do the same as long as my child has never pulled a naughty act like that before.

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  22. So happy to hear she recovered! And btw, she is such a beautiful girl!

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  23. You went with your gut and that was a good thing. I miss my mom so much. She would have picked me up too.

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  24. It's always important to take care of your children, it can be really infuriating for them to be ignored when they need help

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  25. My son freaks out if he gets a hang nail or a canker sore. We never hear the end of it. But if he is sick enough to have to go to the nurse, then hubby or I would go pick him up.

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  26. I'm glad that she recovered, that was really terrible! BTW, she's so pretty.

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  27. I am a school nurse and I always take into consideration the manner on how I call up parents when their kids are here in my clinic. Glad she recovered. :)

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  28. I can honestly say I would have the same internal debate. In the end I would end up picking my son up. No sweets, playing, or friends over though. If he really sick then it won't even be a problem. If he is faking well he going to be miserable in his lie. Lol

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  29. I've gone and picked up Penny a couple times even though I know she was fine. Sometimes they need it, and I didn't want to be the one who abandoned her you know? Though once she did get in big trouble when my husband drove all the way to her school and she was fine and wanted to go back to class. He said nope, you're coming home and sitting in your room!

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  30. Our rule is if there is no fever, vomiting, or explosive diarrhea then they stay at school. Of course there are times I give in and let them come on home. (Posting for Jay Simms)

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  31. I definitely would want to go and pick my child up to look after them. I think that's a normal reaction to have.

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  32. We haven't encountered this yet, but I'd say I probably would. I'd feel terrible if I didn't and there was a problem.

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  33. glad she is well now. true parenting is hard but you make it sound so worth it. the love is undeniable

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  34. I would instantly pick up my child. The best place to be is home if you are not feeling well.

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  35. It is hard to tell when its real or not. I've sent some kids home before who were great fakers!

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  36. It's to hard to tell. And sometimes you'll inevitably make the wrong call which feels terrible! Either you think you're a bad mom because you've been played, or you feel like a bad mom because you sent a sick kid out to do life instead of come home and lie in bed! Nobody wins when the school nurse calls.

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  37. Of my 2 daughters I had one who would try anything to get out of lessons and another that would try and push though anything to stay and learn. It's a difficult call but something only a parent can. You know your child and that's that.

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  38. It would depend as well. We can see how they behave and we know how they think as well. But if it's something that doesn't happen often then it's just right to be there for them. I like that no playing rule!

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  39. I'm so happy to heard that she was okay now and by the way she is really pretty

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  40. Your daughter is beauty! I do not have kids but I would have picked them up from school!

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  41. I would def pick my daughters up! I am on of those mommas :)

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  42. Our school nurse... omg!!!! She would call me last year if my daughter sneezed -_- the first two times I believed the nurse that my daughter was actually sick, but after her making a fool out of me two times I now demand something a tad bit more than a sneeze or a sniffle for me to pick her up lol....

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  43. That's the same rule my mother / aunt had for me. I'm glad you went with your intuition. I'm sure it can be tough and will continue to be so as we get older but you seem to have a great grip on it!

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  44. You made the right decision of picking her up instead. I would do the same. Glad she's fine now.
    www.gregdemcydias.com

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  45. First of all, it saddens me that your sweet girl knows about cutbacks, its a shame.. I would go if my girls needed me and didn't have a history of faking illness.

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  46. It's nice that you went back for her. I'm glad that she feels better as well. It must have been something that she ate. I would feel guilty as well if the twins needed me and I didn't go to them.

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  47. Yeah, it rarely happens so I do take pause when it does. It happened yesterday actually, and I had a full day of work but picked him up. Although preschool is such fun and he looked pissed that I came!
    This story is sweet. She will remember it. And clearly had a real stomachache but luckily not the pukey kind.

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  48. you made a great choice. I go through the same thing when the school calls and sometimes its hard to make judgement calls

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  49. My little one isn't in school yet but stories like these make me happy she's home.

    xoxo
    Celeste
    ohhelloceleste.com

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  50. I really think it depends. I am usually very supportive of my little (who is now 12), but she can def work the system. I can usually tell by speaking with her if she just needs comfort through chatting on the phone or if she needs to come home. What I find MORE annoying is when she is fine and the office requests that I pick her up.

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  51. If I had children, I would pick them up as well

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  52. My son was always at the nurse whenever there was a test or he just didn't want to be in school. It's a hard decision to make, but I always picked him up

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  53. I have no children but I think I would probably pick them up too.

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  54. You made the right call! I'd pick up mine most of the time but my boys were great actors and I'm not entirely sure if every time I picked them up I was being duped!

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  55. I went to the nurses office everyday after lunch in elementary school. Everyone thought I was being overdramatic but when I was diagnosed Celiac as an adult we realized maybe those daily sandwiches were actually making me sick

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  56. Awww! I'm so glad your sweet baby is feeling better! For me the "dreaded nurse call" is the scariest call you can get because back in second grade my daughter had a serious, life threatening accident at school. She's a teenager now and I still freak a little every time they call. Hang in there Momma!

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  57. I think these kind of situations really pose a dilemma many times. However I feel it is always better to give the benefit of the doubt, because you do not want to take a chance.

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  59. it is nice when a mother is able to be there for her kids!

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  60. She's adorable! I hope one day that I'll be able to be a stay at home mom for my kiddos (at least while they're not in school yet!) But with all of these student loans I'm accumulating, who knows... I'm so glad you were able to be there for your daughter!

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  61. I understand what you're saying about not sure if you should pick her up right away. I have four children, so I know how sometimes they can overreact. I think I would have done what you did. I would have asked the nurse more questions about what was bothering Natalie and I also would have asked the nurse to speak with Natalie. You made the right call. Parenting is challenging!

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  62. I totally get it! When our daughter was in school she was the queen of faking tummy aches and after a few years of homeschooling she openly admitted her deceit.

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  63. Thats funny that her friend knows about cutbacks. Smart kid. And I'm glad you were able to go get her! It sounds like she just needed some rest.

    Nina
    aworldofdresses.com

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  64. I love your response, you're such a great mama! Unfortunately I use to fake sick to go home or stay home and my step-mom caught on. Then when I was really sick I was still sent to school. I love how understanding you are!

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  65. Being a parent sounds so difficult! But as a kid from not so long ago, showing up is definitely the most important thing a parent can do!

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  66. When our sons were little and the school called, saying they were complaining of an ailment, after speaking with them, we most often picked our sons up, even if they didn't have a fever or an injury. Obviously, if these situations occur regularly, there's something to explore with either your child's behavior or health. Otherwise, though, my wife and I believed in placing trust in our boys. The bonds we've built with them by hearing and responding to them, in good times and bad, are serving us well now during their adolescence.

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  67. I don't have kids but I think you made the right choice!

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  68. I would, faster than the speed of light. Especially if it's just like a rare occurrence like yours. I'm glad that your daughter was all better and good. We should always be there for them, and whenever we can't, we're responsible for making them be ready for it.

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  69. Same thing happened to me weeks ago. My boy seldom complains so I believe in him when he says he feels sick. We just need to remind our kids to always speak of the truth so they will always earn the respect and trust of their parents and of other people.

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